Specialist value added distributor Bell Micro UK has been named Hitachi Data Systems’ (HDS) “EMEA value added distributor of the year”. Winning this award echoes the success that Bell Micro has experienced as distributor of Hitachi Data Systems solutions for storage management, business continuity, backup and recovery, performance enhancement, data migration and data lifecycle management.
The award was presented at Hitachi Data Systems’ EMEA Executive Partner Summit to Bell Micro’s European President John Toal and Director of Enterprise Europe, Colin McGregor, and recognises excellence in distribution for the 2009 financial year ending April 2010.
In the three years that Bell Micro has worked in close partnership with HDS, the team has doubled revenue year on year with a focus on pre-sales, business development, tactical management and particularly in this winning year, excellent marketing. Through a programme of regular communications, events and bespoke training Bell Micro has also helped inform and further educate the channel about the benefits of Hitachi Data Systems’ highly competitive and profitable solutions.
“One of the highest compliments a company like Hitachi Data Systems can pay is to recognise the work that a team puts into supporting the sales channel in the UK,” said Mike Fearon, HDS Business Manager at Bell Micro. “To be named EMEA value added distributer this year is especially pleasing given the tough business conditions that customers and partners alike have faced.”
Hitachi Data Systems’ SAN, NAS, archiving and virtualisation products enable Bell Micro’s partners to support customers seeking to innovate, collaborate and grow, whilst cutting costs, reducing operational complexity and improving IT agility. Bell Micro has continuously invested in the Hitachi Data Systems team in the UK and has grown the business development and pre sales resource. The team has also worked hard to actively recruit new partners, welcoming a balance of storage-centric and non-storage specialist resellers that are able to bring new skills into the Hitachi Data Systems channel - all without increasing competition and therefore retaining good margin.
Colin McGregor; Director, Bell Micro, said: “This is a major honour and reflects the outstanding work carried out by Mike Fearon and his brilliant team, all supported by great sales account management. The opportunity to grow the HDS franchise is tremendous in the UK, Ireland and other territories across the EMEA region. The credibility that the award brings will without doubt help with this growth."
The Hitachi Data Systems Channel Awards recognise the best performing channel partners in Europe, Middle East and Africa and mark the success and commitment of close working partnerships as part of the company’s joint value proposition to provide customers with the very best solutions.